Andrea Stella believes the signing of Max Verstappen\u2019s Red Bull race engineer GianPiero Lambiase is a reflection of how McLaren has become \u201cattractive to the best talents\u201d in F1.<\/p>\n
And he has hailed the arrival of Lambiase as \u201cthe classic icing on a cake that already has all the right ingredients.\u201d<\/p>\n
McLaren boss Andrea Stella: GianPiero Lambiase signing the \u2018icing on the cake\u2019<\/p>\n
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Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust<\/p>\n McLaren announced the signing of Lambiase from Red Bull last week, with the 45-year-old set to arrive in the role of chief racing officer \u2018no later\u2019 than 2028.<\/p>\n Lambiase will adopt some of Stella\u2019s current responsibilities when he joins from Red Bull.<\/p>\n McLaren is believed to have fought off competition to secure Lambiase\u2019s services, with PlanetF1.com reporting last month that the engineer had previously been approached over a senior role with the Aston Martin team.<\/p>\n Lambiase, who has acted as Verstappen\u2019s race engineer since May 2016, is the latest big name to leave Red Bull for McLaren, following in the footsteps of chief designer Rob Marshall and sporting director Will Courtenay.<\/p>\n Go deeper: GianPiero Lambiase swaps Red Bull for McLaren<\/p>\n GianPiero Lambiase McLaren move raises fresh questions over Max Verstappen\u2019s Red Bull future<\/a><\/p>\n Ranked: Five memorable radio exchanges between Max Verstappen and GianPiero Lambiase<\/a><\/p>\n Under the leadership of Stella and chief executive Zak Brown, McLaren has returned to the fore over recent years, winning consecutive constructors\u2019 championships in 2024\/25.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Lando Norris became McLaren\u2019s first drivers\u2019 world champion since 2008 last year.<\/p>\n Stella believes McLaren\u2019s resurgence has made the team \u201cattractive\u201d to figures of Lambiase\u2019s stature.<\/p>\n He told McLaren\u2019s official website: \u201cGianPiero\u2019s arrival will add a great amount of expertise and potential to the team for the long term.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the same time, it is further confirmation of how attractive McLaren has become to the best talents in Formula 1.<\/p>\n \u201cThis credibility we have gained is the result of the hard work done by all men and women who have worked at McLaren over recent years to build a culture that allows people to grow and contribute to the common goal in a healthy and enjoyable environment.<\/p>\n \u201cOn top of McLaren\u2019s results on the track and the team\u2019s ethos perceived in the right way from the outside, I am convinced contributed to GianPiero deciding to join us.<\/p>\n \u201cGianPiero\u2019s arrival is the classic icing on a cake that already has all the right ingredients in the first place.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, he will be a key support, filling the role of chief racing officer, a position I currently hold alongside my role as team principal.<\/p>\n \u201cTogether with Zak, we have always worked over the past three years to ensure the continuity over the long term in terms of leadership and expertise.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is particularly true for certain key roles like positions in the race team.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is above all in this area that the expansion of the calendar has had significant consequences in terms of personal commitment and quality of life.<\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s Formula 1 is very different from when I started my career over 20 years ago.<\/p>\n \u201cThe size of a top team has more than doubled; just consider that our workforce has grown by over 20 per cent in numerical terms over the last three years.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, we have reached a size that is compatible with the constraints imposed by the budget cap and functional to the objective to deliver the level of performance required to succeed.<\/p>\n \u201cThe role of team principal has also become more complex.<\/p>\n \u201cZak and I have built a flat team structure in which it is essential to ensure all leaders are properly empowered, but at the same time we must guarantee there is always the necessary level of long-term support.<\/p>\n \u201cIt goes without saying that, with this approach, the dual role I currently hold could not be sustainable in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n Stella\u2019s latest comments come after he laughed off suggestions that he could make a surprise return to Ferrari.<\/p>\n Initial media reports after Lambiase\u2019s switch claimed that he is being lined up to potentially succeed Stella, who had reportedly attracted interest from Ferrari.<\/p>\n PlanetF1.com understands that Stella\u2019s role remains unchanged and that a move to Ferrari, where he previously worked between 2000 and 2014, is not on the cards.<\/p>\n However, it is possible that Lambiase could be considered as a replacement for Stella when the role of McLaren team principal next becomes available, with sources indicating to PlanetF1.com that this scenario may have been sold to Lambiase ahead of his move from Red Bull.<\/p>\n Stella said of the rumours linking him with Ferrari: \u201cHonestly, some of the recent rumours, including those regarding astronomical salaries and mythical pre-contracts, have made me smile.<\/p>\n \u201cIt almost seems as though the \u2018silly season\u2019, which usually begins before summer, has arrived early!<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m quite used to this sort of thing by now and I take [it] with a smile.\u201d<\/p>\n Additional reporting by Thomas Maher<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? 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